While society as a whole can be characterized as collection of individuals having a variety of differing races, creeds, ethnicities, religions and political beliefs, arguably no other act is more commonly accepted by all of humanity than the enjoyment of a good meal. As a result, it is important to cook food in a safe and efficient manner. To meet this need, a variety of cooking methods have emerged. Cooking by placing food in a perforated basket and lowering the basket into a larger, non-perforated pot containing heated water, oil, or cooking grease has become a commonplace practice in both home and commercial cooking. The basket/pot combination is used to cook food by heating a large pot containing a cooking liquid, placing a volume of food in a basket with holes, and lowering the basket into the pot. Once the food has been exposed to the heating liquid for a sufficient amount of time, the basket is lifted upward to a position out of contact with the cooking liquid. The basket is then suspended above the pot to allow any excess cooking liquid to drain. The basket is finally removed from the pot and tipped to remove the food from the basket.
Although this basket/pot combination is an effective way to cook food, users have encountered problems in the draining and removing the basket from the pot. Draining the basket requires a user to lift and hold the hot basket above the pot. Users often encounter difficulty suspending the basket above the pot. Furthermore, due to the heat and steam, the user is susceptible to burn injuries when handling the basket. In addition, once the basket is drained the user must remove the basket from the pot and pour the cooked food out of the basket.
The basket and pot combination has become a mainstay in home and commercial cooking, and is becoming a favorite cooking method as more individuals are exposed to its ability to cook a variety of different foods quickly and efficiently. As a result, consumers are in need of a tool that assists them in safely lifting the basket, draining the basket, and tipping the basket to remove the cooked food.